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Wausau utility staff ask commission to separate hiring/retention policy fixes from staffing-level cost decisions
Summary
Commissioners and staff asked HR to return in July with recommendations on recruitment, retention and salary/benefit policies; commissioners also asked for a separate cost analysis on proposed staffing level increases from the Baker Tilly study.
The Wausau Water Works Commission on June 3 discussed utility staffing shortages and a Baker Tilly study with two distinct questions: how to recruit and retain staff and whether the utility should increase authorized staffing levels and absorb their costs.
Commissioner Robinson asked that the issue be split into two parts: (1) recruitment and retention policies and incentives to keep newly hired staff, and (2) staffing levels and the cost of adding positions recommended in previous reports. "We can't keep our current positions filled, and before we start looking at new ones, I think we have to address that problem," Robinson said.
Eric Lehman told commissioners the HR director (Gina) was not available at the June meeting but would appear at the July meeting and that the packet included a late memo showing current employees and proposed staff levels: 20 and 16 current employees in water and sewer respectively, with proposed levels of 22 and 19. Commissioners asked staff to summarize prior Baker Tilly recommendations from the 2022 study and report what the utility has already implemented.
Commissioner Forrest asked for a concise summary of the Baker Tilly recommendations beyond compensation, noting the study also addressed safety and asset inventory. Lehman said staff would return in July with updated numbers and a breakout of recruitment, retention and staffing-level cost recommendations.
No formal personnel action was taken at the June 3 meeting; staff committed to return with HR and cost details.
